Air pressure stage lift



Aug. 10, 1948. MAI-[ON 2,446,940

AIR PRESSURE STAGE LIFT Filed July 2, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Au 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,446,940 AIR PRESSURE STAGE LIFT Bently L. Mahon, Grand Prairie, Tex.

Application July 2, 1946, Serial No. 681,109

' thus creating not only a suction immediately below the unit upon a liquid to be raised or lifted ,but also providing a means for exerting upward pressure upon the liquid by stages, from the bottom of the pipe to the top thereof.

Another object of the invention is to adapt a stage lift apparatus of the invention to cleaning the strainer at the lower end of the pipe or casing in which the apparatus is suspended, and also to provide for dislodging from the strainer deposits of paramn or other foreign matter which may accumulate thereon, such as in the case of producing oil wells.

Broadly, the invention seeks to provide economical means for elevating any kind of liquid such as oil through the tubing in a well, water through pipe for soil irrigating purposes and generally, for draining ditches, excavations, and the like.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows the invention longitudinally disposed within a well pipe or casing, this casing being shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view in vertical section of one of the units of the invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view in fragmentary section of an interchangeable unit for cleaning accumulated deposits of foreign matter from the strainer attached to the lower end of the well pipe or casing, and

Figure 4 is a plan view in cross section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3 of the cleaning unit.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral l denotes a motor for operating an air compressor H. The medium by which air is forced through a suitable pipe or conduit into a casing l2, thence downward into the tubing or pipe I3 in the length of which is incorporated an exhaust unit of the invention.

5 Claims. (Cl. 103-233) Forming a part of the tubing or pipe I! and positioned progressively downward are a multiplicity of exhaust units 14, each having a plurality of adjustable and substantially L-shaped air outlets IS. The lowermost of the units I4 is attached to the lower end of the tubing or pipe I: whose lower end is closed by a nipple I6 receiving a cap I l.v

In employing the invention for elevating fluid in the wells, the pipel: and its complementary units or members H are lowered into the casing I8 of the well there being attached by suitable means at the end of the casing, a strainer I9.

In operation, the L-shaped air outlet or jets l5 are adjusted for upward exhaust of the air being forced therethrough. Since the cap I! serves as a stop for the downward flow of air, air seeks outlet through the L-shaped unit i5 which, as the case may be, are turned upwardly,

thus creating a vacuum and a suction therebelow higher unit and by stages to the surface.

to elevate the fluid to the surface. Not only does the air create a vacuum and thus lift the liquid :but a pressure is exerted on the liquid above the unit, to propel the same upwardly to the next It serves to elevate the liquid into the casing I2 through such outlets as may be provided at that point.

In many cases, a flowing well will become static because of the deposits of paraflln or other foreign matter upon the strainer l9. To clean the strainer I 9 and the well pipe receding at that point, the invention provides a unit or member 20, (Fig. 4), interchangeable with the lowermost of the units l4 and may be operated with or without the remaining units H. The cleaning member or unit 20 also has attached immediately below a short nipple lBa on the lower end of which is threaded a cap I'Ia having in the center thereof a small aperture llb. Cleaning unit 20 has a plurality of air outlets 2i adjusted so that air being forced therethr'ough will be exhausted in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of unit 20. The air or in some cases the steam which is being forced through air outlets 2| and the aperture "b in the cap Ila, is released through the said outlets with a swirling motion which is effective to dislodge deposits of paramn and other foreign matter from the walls of the casing. In the meantime, the pressure of gaseous medium exhausted through the aperture I'Ib will remove foreign matter tending to clog'the orifices in the screen or strainer IS.

The invention shown and described herein as operating to elevate oil from an oil well possibly 3 could be put to additional use such as lifting water from shallow artesian wells, sumps, tanks or over dams for land irrigation or for removing water from evacuations or the like.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An air stage lift including in combination with an elongated tubular housing, a pipe positioned within said housing, means for introducing air into said pipe, a multiplicity of spaced apart exhaust units connected in said pipe, each of said units having a plurality of adjustable jets circumferentially spaced thereon and means attached to the lower end of said tubular housing for pre-cleaning instant foreign matter entrained in the liquid drawn into said housing by the fluid displacing action of said units.

2. An air stage lift including an elongated tubular housing, a pipe longitudinally disposed in said housing, means for forcing air into said pipe, a multiplicity of progressively positioned units on and in communication with said pipe, at

plurality of jets spaced about each of said units 3. A stage lift including a pipe and a second pipe positioned longitudinally therein, means for introducing steam or air into said second pipe, a multiplicity of fluid displacing units on said second pipe, each of said units having a plurality of jets spaced circumferentially thereon, means for closing the lower end of said first pipe, a strainer at the lower end of said first pipe, and means for adjusting the Jets of said units to dislodge particles of foreign matter from said strainer.

4. An air stage lift including a pipe within a well casing, a multiplicity of relatively spaced fluid displacing units on said pipe, each of said units having a plurality of air jets surrounding the same, means for introducing a gaseous medium into said pipe under pressure, means closing the lower end of said pipe, a strainer attached to the lower end of said well casing, and means for adjusting said jets to alter the direction of discharge thereof, to clean this strainer and well casing of foreign matter.

5. An air stage lift including a pipe disposed axially in a well casing, a multiplicity of progressively positioned fluid displacing units on said pipe, each of said units having a plurality of jets thereon, means for introducing a gaseous medium in said pipe under pressure, a strainer at the lower end of said casing and means for positioning said jets for cleaning said strainer.

BENTLY L. MAHON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Name Date Obear Mar. 19, 1907 Number 

